The Children of the Revolution
by IAmNotImportant
Summary: Johnny is undergoing changes in this stage of his life. Dealing with all sorts of problems, including his sexuality. Funny thing is, his confusion will go for an overdrive once he signs up with Ponyboy to do the backstage work for the school play.


**Title**: The Children of the Revolution 

**Rating**: PG-13, maybe R sometimes

**Category**: ? Honestly, I don't really know what category to put this fic under. It will have a little romance in it, and if I can pull it off(which I doubt) have some dark themes to it. Well, maybe you readers could help me out here.

**A/N**: Yes, another fic. Sorry if this one sucks too. I have to say first, that I'm leaving Friday for vacation (going to Puerto Rico) and won't be back for two months, which means I won't be updating any of my fics. 

Also, this story started off experimental, and it's my second attempt to write it in third person since I failed so miserably on the first fic I ever did. 

Warning: If you don't like themes that include ANY type of slash, than don't read this. It's not too bad in my opinion, but just to be on the safe side, I wanted to point this out.

Dedicated to Alicia A.K.A: ModestVanity for being such a great writer to talk with, and giving me so much advice especially for this fic even though, on the Johnny part, I got a little carried away. You rock, and I hope you never stop writing!

The scorching sun beamed on this day, its fiery rays seemed to be shining especially over the rural, average-size school, in the small, mid-western town of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Summer was nearly here and the day's left in the school year were fast approaching. It was a Friday, this particular sunny day.

School had been closed for the day over three hours already, and most of the student body wandered aimlessly in their mustangs or beat up T-birds throughout the city. Trying, **_hard if I might add_**, to catch the latest buzz and rid themselves of the searing heat that was inflicted on the place in which they referred to as home. 

Little could be said for the small group of students whom sat in the darkened theater room of the over-populated Tulsa High, watchful eyes gazing up at the stage and back to their favorite Drama teacher for his approval. Mouths left a gape by the vision before them. The canvas threshold doors leading out the exit were left flung open, a small breeze blowing in but not enough to make a pleasant effect on the people, who sat further into the dark-silhouette room. The soft, barely even noticeable, wind gusted through the halls and carried about the blue fliers, which had been thrown onto the floor without much interest by some. Most of them read, in big black-markered letters: **AUDITIONS FOR THE SCHOOL PLAY WILL BE HELD MAY 10th, AT 3:00PM**

_Today was May 10th._

Warm heat washed over every youthful body minus one in the large room that was often used for assemblies, their sweat making them stick to his or hers green leather cushioned seat yet the obvious enjoyment was left untouched, it didn't interfere or stop it one bit. 

The talent that stood before them captivated their attentive eyes. Pure talent, delivered in the form of a…teenage girl.

****

Mr. Haily, a 40-something-year-old man who quick persuading his acting career for a more stable grounding, began shaking his head from side to side. His often-plaintive expression was contorted in an astounded grin. He raised his rugged and heavily clad body from the seat; following suit the cheering and hollering group of teenagers. 

Letting out a joyful chuckle, he clapped, "Glory!…..Oh my….Lordy…" He couldn't even begin his sentence correctly; the man had wanted to only choose some pimple-face kids to act out the play he had so carefully written for the last…oh…5 years! 

"He means, you were bitchin', Tru!!" Marcia McComb voiced out the paralyzed Drama Teacher's opinion. She stood by his side, smiling. The only reason she was there was to support her best friend, Sherri 'Cherry' Valance, who was going to audition as well. Even though, secretly inside, she knew Cherry wasn't all that good.

Mr. Haily gave Marcia a chastising look, "Well, Ms. McComb, you've managed to bring me back to reality…" He stepped forward, staring up at the beauty of a girl before him. "And darling, what role have you brought your fine voice to my humble stage to be apart of what is sure to be a magnificent play, which is almost like a child I birth myself!" giggles were stifled at the enthusiastic teacher.

"….Uh, are we in the right place, Cher? I thought this was going to be a school play?" Bob Sheldon leaned into his girlfriend. The two Soc's stood beside the red curtain as, they waited for their turn to go out there and either A) Make fools of themselves or B) Dazzle.

The cute redhead elbowed Bob, "Ssh, He might hear you…" Her warning tone was no use; Mr. Haily cast a glance at them. "Mr. Sheldon, since you so vaguely think this is just another school play, I suggest you leave now" 

The adult circled about, his eyes looking out into the darkness, which was suppose to be his audience, but blinded by the spotlight. "For years now, I've wanted to make a play which would stand out from all the other failed attempts before…this year, I've managed to take my own little masterpiece and bring it here. Since this is the last play of the year, I will stop at nothing for it to be the best. Starting with the best actors which so far…is you, my dear" He out-stretched his arm to the silent girl. Her full lips forming a small smile, or was that a smirk?

"The role I want is the lead of course…. I wouldn't waste my time here to have it any other way" Was the response from the blue-eyed, light-haired brunette, moments ago her harmonious voice had filled the room. It's tone and sound won over her temporary audience and took them into her own little world…. but all trace of that world, of her sweet voice, had been brandished by her quite arrogant words. 

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Ms. L'Veaur" Mr. Haily frowned at the young girl, his memory of her usual behavior hitting him like a load of bricks. She had been in every school play since the middle-aged mind could remember and in every event, she was **always **the star.

"…. You're going to have to wait until the others audition for the lead, theirs quite a few…." The angelic appearance that radiated off the petite girl wearing a red sweater which fitted her curvy body well and a dark skirt that ended an inch above her knees (_she had fought with her mother to have it that short_), was ruined once more by an un-expected snarl, "But, Mr. Haily! You know, I'm always the lead…It's almost a law, and if it isn't, **_it should be_**!" The 16-year-old whined.

The teens sitting in the seats rolled their eyes. Marcia sighed, thinking "And I was actually praising her…Tru L'Veaur is nothing but a conceited wannabe actress" 

"Just sit down, for Pete's Sakes!" Randy Anderson piped in; frustrated "Some people have things to do instead of staying cramp up here". Tru glared at him, she suddenly batted her long eyelashes and began moving closer to the hansom Soc. "Randy…." She started with a charming voice, her tone soft. "Why are you here? The sign outside said Mr. Haily was looking for kids with talent….**_ Not, ban-gee's that can talk_** " 

Randy stepped forward, but was pulled back just in time by his girlfriend. "I outta'….If you were a guy…" He half-threatened. 

"What a shame…. I'm not a guy, but your girl here sure could pass off as one" Tru retorted, rolling her deep blue eyes and turning away from the couple. This time, Marcia had to be held back by Randy. He wrapped an arm around her waist as she tried reaching for the actress. "You're so full of yourself, L'V-V…. Whatever the hell is your last name! Why don't you just go back to the gutters of France where you belong and the rest of your family…." 

"Oh, shut up, you Polac!" Tru yelled back in response.

"Enough!" Mr. Haily exploded; his voice echoed throughout the place, maybe even the entire high school. "Ms. L'Veaur, sit down at this instance or you won't be allowed to participate in this play at all! And Ms. McComb, please keep your racial remarks to a minimum…."

The three teens kept their strong stance facing each other for a few moments, glares and looks that if it were able to, could shoot daggers from. Tension grew between them, there was history there, left hidden by most and oblivious to others. 

"**NOW!**" The ex-heated teacher slammed his foot down firmly on the wooden flooring, his voice turning horsed as he heightened its tone. Cherry winced at the mans furiousity. 

Tru was the first to move, she sauntered down the small steps leading off the platform and retreated back to the seat she had been originally sitting in, it was in the back. 

Awkward silence filled the air around the undersized group of would-be actors, and Mr. Haily quickly tried breaking it. "Okay then, now that, that little incident has cleared up…Hopefully" He gave a glowering glance at Tru, but a tiny grin was trying hard not to surface. "…We can continue with the auditions…Next person please" The ruggedly hansom teacher gestured for anyone to step-up, he went back to his seat in the front row and found himself praying that someone would be as good as the girl with the bad temper. In his acting days, he had faced many actors whom have had the gift of being blessed with talent, yet those attitudes and big egos could often ruin them. 

Plus, the boy that auditioned earlier, his performance of trying to reenact Fred's Astaire's dance sequence in "Silk Stalkings" was fatal and the sad thing was, he was the best choice for the male lead he had seen so far. "That little punk fell off the stage…I hope he doesn't sue…" Mr. Haily thought while he watched Cherry Valance appear from the back stage, a nervous smile plastered on her delighting face. 

"Role?"

"Um, Valerie, ….the lead" She answered, flashing her boyfriend who, was waving from the side a glimpse of her perfect white teeth. Confidence building up inside of her, she wasn't as nervous anymore as she thought she would be.

Once the word "lead" was heard from the cheerleader, the actress that had made a commotion not too long before was riled up again. A dramatic sigh was exceeded from her lungs, earning a few glances towards her direction in the back. 

"What is it this time, Ms. L'…L….Tru?" The drama teacher said, giving up on the young girl's tongue-twisting last name and predicting a headache coming once he'd hear her response.

"You got to be kidding me!" The girl's voice rang, managing to make another strong echo. What most people knew her to be was that she took her acting and singing seriously…and frankly, to Tru, casting Cherry, as the star would be like the Rolling Stones doing a duet with the Beach Boys. Pure disaster.

"Where can I start!?….Ok, Mr. Haily, you haven't said much about the play but all you pretty much leaked out was that it was going to take place in 1800's France and look at that! I happen to have some French background…" Tru tried explaining, her dark clad body was on the edge of the seat as she pulled herself forward, by grabbing hold of the back of the seat in front of her. 

"It's called acting…Just because I'm not French, does **_not_** mean I can't play one" Cherry spoke up for herself, even though Tru's comments were mainly directed toward the teacher. She didn't like being talked about like she wasn't even there.

"Go kiss a duck, cheerleader. Acting? Pretending to be the kind of girl who, doesn't go second base on the first date is not considered acting, and no need to hide there, we all know you aren't that kind of girl anyway" Tru said, standing up so, she could be heard better.

A few gasps followed, and everyone turned to see the redhead's reaction. She stood rigid, her fists clenching into balls, but her eyes revealing her true emotion to the insult. They were glazed with sudden tears. "…Shut up" She mumbled, sniffling.

"Truth hurts, doesn't it, sweetie?" The cold-hearted teenager continued.

Bob appeared from the back stage; he approached his girlfriend's standing form hesitantly, and placed a hand on her shoulder. The reaction wasn't what he expected; she burst out into a free flowing cry and pushed passed him, running away from the stage. "Cherry! Wait…" Bob called after her, about to catch up to her but not before, facing the crowd and looking out directly to the girl, that seemed to care of no one but herself.

"Look what you've done. What's your problem!?…but don't think you're are getting off so easily, you'll get a taste of your own medicine…soon" and with that said, the hansom dirty-blonde Soc quickly disappeared into the darkness of the backstage.

"You've managed to ruin this whole audition….Are you happy now?" Marcia added, from the arms of Randy, she buried her face into his blue madras shirt. The mood in the room had turned from nervous to somber in an instant. 

"….no" Tru whispered under her breath, she dropped her gaze to the floor, closing her eyes for a moment as guilt began to wash over her. Before Mr. Haily could finally react, the light brunette hastily grabbed her small backpack and rushed up the dark aisle. 

Everyone winced, when the back threshold doors slammed close.

"Um….Well, I can just tell this play is going to go off smoothly…." 

________________________________________________________________________

JOHNNY

Darrel Curtis' pick-up truck pulled up in front of the Tulsa High School building, students were filling the front campus already.

The auburn haired boy, bestowed with the name Ponyboy Curtis, filed out of the car following a tanned face young man. His appearance looking somewhat dirty, due to the slightly wrinkled shirt he wore under his blue-jean jacket that had grass stains under the arms, and matched with his faded out jeans. Although, once out of the car, he preceded to take the jacket off and tie it around his small waist. The beaming sun was already making them sweat.

 "Bye, guys" The strong-looking Greaser, wearing his sleeveless black shirt for a hard days work of roofing houses, said from behind the steering wheel. "You guys try not to get in trouble…" Ponyboy's second oldest brother, with the go-lucky face and optimistic grin added as he moved to sit next to the window. Having the younger boys out of the car, left more space for the energized seventeen-year-old.

"We will" Pony replied, as he waved off Sodapop and Darrel. The last he could hear, was Soda's laughing as the car began to drive away.

Immediately, when the two best friends turned around to face the large building that looked more like a prison, a sigh was heard from both of them. They chuckled as they glanced at each other simultaneously. "I think you know exactly what I'm thinking right about now" Pony started. The two greasers began to walk toward the concrete steps, passing through the cliques of different people. 

"Yup. Another morning, another day spent in hell…." Johnny said, giving his friend a lop-side cringe at the very thought of it. 

"Cheer up, Johnnycake. The last day of school is coming…" The auburn haired JD interjected, trying to make the reality of it somewhat bearable. "Not fast enough" the wide-eyed Greaser replied, going up the steps leading to his most hated place, apart from his house.

"Hey…" Pony outstretched his arm, and placed it on Johnny's shoulder, giving him a slight tug to stop moving. "Is something wrong?…Lately you've been really hating school, and more than usual…I know, I want this year to end as badly as you" He finished by giving his greasy-head friend a light punch on the side of his arm.

Johnny sighed, "Nah, man. I'm OK, just a little…anxious is all" he gave him his best grin, to reassure Pony that everything was fine even though something was actually bugging the hood. It started off as harmless at the beginning of the year, and now it was manifesting itself inside of Johnny. He felt like any minute that went by, he would be reminded of the problem. 

And school wasn't helping either; it's where everything really started.

Ponyboy gave him a big smile, revealing his perfectly in-lined white teeth that, were quite unusual for most greasers, since they usually lost them in Rumbles and such. Just take a look at Tim Shepard, or even Dallas Winston.

"That's good then, I thought it was something serious…" The auburn haired boy commented, as he nudged Johnny and then, continued to walk to the entrance of the over-populated high school.

Johnny stood back, sighing. He reached for the side of his arm, where Pony had punched him playfully and gripped onto it. 'If you only knew, Pony…' the oddly innocent greaser thought.

"Come on, man, let's try to find the guys before the bell rings!" His best friend exclaimed loudly, from the top of the concrete steps. He held his books, under one arm and signaled for Johnny to hurry up.

"Hold your horses" Johnnycake managed to retort, giving the younger boy a small smile, and wiping the sweat that had developed on his forehead, which was covered by his long dark bangs.

   "What's with the crowd?" Pony asked, his best friend as the two entered the school and made their way to their lockers. The whole main hallway was practically blocked by swarming students, and yet most were directed to the bulletin board that was often used to promote dances and school events, or just fliers saying their was a party somewhere. What could possibly be so interesting for everyone to be elbowing each other in the face, so they could get their turn up front?

"Beats me" Johnny shrugged, although he was slightly curious to see what all the commotion was about. Pony and him stared as a girl came out from the group of teens; crying her eyes out and running pass them. "Guessin' it's something important," he suggested, giving the youngest Curtis' brother an amused expression.

"Theirs Two-Bit and Steve, let's go over, maybe they know what's going on" Ponyboy pointed out, shuffling through a few people to get to his jokester friend with the long side-burns and his not-so great foe. They were standing off to the side, leaning on the wall with their leg up against it.

"You guys know what's happening?" Pony asked, not bothering for a mid-morning introduction and getting straight to wanting answers. "Well, good mornin' to you too" Steve muttered, looking away from the tagalong kid.

Ponyboy rolled his eyes, and directed his question more to Two-Bit. The 18-year-old straightened up, "Hell, I don't know either, Pon. We just got here anyhow" He responded, eyeing the smaller hoods before him and ruffling Johnny's hair with his hand briefly. The 16-year-old smiled shyly, and tried his hardest to hide the blush creeping up on him. 'Get a hold of yourself, damnitt. Are you going to do this every time someone touches you…no…every time a guy touches you…' Johnny scolded himself, his conscious racing with a million thoughts of people noticing his strange behavior the last couple of months, and what they would do to him. 

"I got an idea. Why don't we go ahead and see what it is that has people either 1, jumping up in joy, or 2, crying their eyes out….I'd sure like to know how the hell that happens" Two-Bit said, stepping forward from the wall. A mischievous glow glinted off his joyful eyes, he moved closer to the crowd that looked more like a mob at that point.

"**MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, GREASERS COMING THROUGH**…." The joking Greaser announced at the top pf his lungs sending a few Soc girls's to quickly clear the way and a lot more glares from the Soc boys, although they stepped back as well.

Johnny, Ponyboy, and Steve trailed Two-Bit from behind, until they accidentally ran into each other when the Gang's jokester stopped unexpectedly. Johnny's lower body slid against Pony's back, and his breath hitched in his lungs when he felt, Steve's groin bump into his backside. 

"Whoa!" Two-Bit exclaimed at last.

'whoa's right…' Johnny tried his hardest not to groan at that very moment, he could feel Steve's warm breathing prickling his left ear, and the pressure he had felt with Pony's back against the lower part of his slim body the second before was slowly disappearing. Johnny Cade wished that the 'pressure' would come back.

"What is it?" Ponyboy asked, moving to pile next to Keith Matthews, and Steve to his other side. The hoodlum with the rather large scar on the side of his face peered in between the guys and saw what had been the source of excitement and tear-jerks for the entire morning.

"It's a piece of paper—Wow" Steve commented, his bland expression never changing. 

"Ah, but it's no ordinary paper…it's a list!" Two-Bit corrected, "A casting list for the school play" the youngest of all, finished their observations. 

The bell suddenly rang, making a few of them wince. Steve Randle groaned, and sighed frustrated "Great, I wasted the time I could have been harassing some Socs for this crap…" he said, as Two-Bit and him began to leave for their first period class. "We could do that any time….Hey, Baby. Want to see what's hangin'?" The Greaser with the rusted side-burns said, the last part directed mostly to a blonde walking pass them. She gave them both a glare and hurried along.

Johnny kept staring down at the list, no real interest or amusement coming out of watching it. He looked over at the first few names….

Valerie Lavoy, the lead- Tru L'Veaur 

Ewan Weber, leading man- Randy Anderson

Mr. Wilsby-Bob Sheldon

Johnny saw their was more to the list attached behind it, and he let out a "Pony, looks like this is going to be some play. So many people in it" 

When no answer came from the fourteen-year-old, Johnny looked over to his side. His best friend was reading something that seemed remotely fascinating to him, you could see the wheels turning in Ponyboy's head as he reached for the pen that came along with the paper he was stating at.

"What are you doin'?" Johnny asked, going to his side. "I'm signing us up to do the backstage work for the play" he simply answered, jotting down their names on the list pinned onto the wooden bulletin board.

"ok" the sixteen-year-old nodded, then realized what he was saying and reacted the real way. His eyes widened, "Wait, what?" He said, shaking his head. 

His best friend saw his reaction and smiled, "I thought this would be cool for us, come on, it's only a dumb school play. We only have to come after school on Fridays, and sometimes over the weekends. It'll pass time, so we won't feel like the last days here are dragging on" He explained, yet Johnny still had no idea why Ponyboy would even want to step foot into something like this. Greasers weren't big with doing school activities, especially if it's a social event.

"Well, put my name off of there. I like to drag on my days, it's better than being stuck in some stuffy theater room" Johnny replied, taking the pen from Pony and reaching to mark off his name.

"No! Come on, Johnny. I really want to see how it is, and I don't want to go by myself. Please, you're my best bud, can't you do this for me as a favor?" At that point, Pony looked like a begging child with big green/gray eyes that seemed almost pleading.

Johnny swallowed, falling silent. He found himself staring back at Ponyboy's large eyes, and thinking 'no good is going to come out of this…' but this was his best friend, and not to mention he was the only greaser who, ever really understood him apart from Dallas.

"…Fine, fine" He mumbled his response, earning a grin from the Curtis' brother. "Thanks, Johnnycake. I knew I could count on you" 

The two started walking to their next period, passing Cherry Valance and Marcia McComb who stood off to the side, animated in their own little conversation.

"I still can't believe the casted that bitch for the lead, after what she said to you. You could have had that part, if you wanted." Marcia stated, as she rolled her eyes at the thought of Friday's horrible auditions.

Cherry sighed, shrugging and holding firmly onto the few books in her arms. "Please, Marcia, save me the pity speech." The redhead replied, sadly

"That wasn't pity…. It was more like, sympathy" Marcia offered her a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"Same thing. Anyhow, I'm fine with doing make-up, that way I still get to spend more time with Bob without my parents breathing down my back." The cheerleader perked up at the sound of her sentence. 

"Alright, you got a point there…but can I keep bashing Tru L'V-V—you know, for you?"

"Of course!" The two giggled as they hurried along to their classes, and awaiting boyfriends.

Johnny walked quickly through the busy corridors still filled by the traffic of kids, his vision aimed forward. The young man didn't like to come into view of the people around him, the reality of how things weren't so great lately. For Greasers, and for him. 

He had already said his 'see ya' later' to Ponyboy, and was left to himself since he had no classes with any of his fellow gang members. Sometimes that could be a plus, because it gave the sixteen-year-old time to think but other times, he'd wish that someone he knew was around to keep an eye out for him, or just talk to. Being captivated in your thoughts could sometimes make a person feel lonely. That's why Johnny spent most of his time with Ponyboy, since he knew the kid was a thinker as well and could somehow relate. Although, Johnny realized both were very different in **_what_** they thought. Completely. 

Glancing to his side, the Greaser ducked into the boy's bathroom hastily and after looking down to see if there were any feet in the stalls, he locked the door behind him.

He approached one of the many mirrors near the sink, and found himself staring at his own haggard reflection for what could be considered a generation to him. "You're sick," he said all of a sudden, his voice never showing any sort of emotion to it and his expression staying the same. But his eyes…

Those dark eyes had so much pain in them. He was drowning; deeper and deeper into something he couldn't figure out what.

"You can't think this way…" He was saying, babbling at most. "This is wrong. You know what people could do to you if they found out, what the guys could do!?"

He was referring to his reflection, pretending that he could just flat out talk and reason with himself. It wasn't working.

Johnny sighed, gripping onto the sides of the white sink. He felt his palms touch the coldness of the sink and as he reached for the faucet, his other hand's grasp on the edge tightened.  For a minute, Johnny closed his eyes to listen to the only sound in the room, the water. When he came into view of his scarred face in the mirror once more, he snarled disgustingly at it and crouched down to splash water onto it. All of **_this_** had started not too long ago, it was the day when he first experienced a pang of attraction to one of the guys, and it later turned into all of them. And if that wasn't enough, his father's words weren't making the situation any better.

"What's wrong with ya', boy?….All you do is take up space, you're just another mouth to feed, nothing! What the fuck is your problem? Are you queer? Yeah, yeah, you a fag, sonny-boy since you sure look like one…" He had said all that while sitting in his brown-colored armchair, and his mother sat not to far back watching lifelessly at the TV. Johnny kept staring at her, willing her silently to say something, stick up for him for once but the television's glow continue to bounce off her pale face and she never noticed a thing.

What hurt Johnny the most, made him want to crawl into a dark place and never come back out was that his father had said that too him while he was sober. It was his own true observation, and that made Johnny paranoid most of all.

None of this couldn't possibly be his fault. It came off like it was; Johnny kept repeating that it was a matter of willpower to control himself around everyone, no, around the guys. Taking this morning for example, that was a close one. How much he wanted to feel Pony and Steve's warm body against his again like that moment, a split second it was yet left him dazed from the very twinge of it.

"God…" He whispered, watching intently as the water in the sink began to reach toward it's top, he didn't even bother turning it off. "If you can hear me…please, make this stop…for once, help me out, make this stop…"

**_"_Please_"_**

A/N: I hope that wasn't horrible, please tell me what you think, I'm always into any constructive criticism or ideas. R/R.

Electricity  
Eye-to-Eye  
Hey don't I know you?

I can't speak  
  
Striped my senses  
On the spot  
I've never been defenseless  
I can't even make sense of this  
You speak and I don't hear a word  
  
What would happen if we kissed  
Would your tongue slip past my lips  
Would you run away  
Would you stay  
Or would I melt into you  
Mouth to mouth  
Lust to lust  
Spontaneously combust  
  
The room is spinning  
Out of control  
Act like you didn't notice   
Brushed my hand  
  
Forbidden fruit  
Ring on my finger  
You're such a moral, moral man  
Would you throw it away  
No question  
Will I pretend I'm innocent  
  


**_                            -"What Would Happen" by Meredith Brooks_**


End file.
